Evika Siliņa served as the Prime Minister of Latvia from 2023 to 2026, becoming the second woman to hold the office in the country's history. Her tenure followed a career path that transitioned from legal practice in the private sector to parliamentary oversight and cabinet-level administration within the Latvian government, ultimately navigating a complex coalition of political parties.
Legal Education and Early Practice
Born in Riga in 1975, Siliņa pursued formal legal and social science education throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. She attended the University of Latvia from 1993 to 1997, later completing studies at EuroFaculty between 1996 and 1997. Her academic training concluded at the Riga Graduate School of Law, where she earned a master's degree in social sciences, international law, and European law between 1999 and 2001. Following her education, she worked as a lawyer from 2003 to 2012, focusing on international and domestic business law, representing various government bodies and firms in the IT and telecommunications sectors.
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Siliņa entered the political sphere in 2011, initially running for a seat in the Saeima with the Zatlers' Reform Party. Though unsuccessful, she secured a position as a legal adviser to the Minister of Interior from 2011 to 2012. Her administrative influence grew when she served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Interior from 2013 to 2019, where she focused on combating synthetic cannabinoids and representing the ministry before bodies such as the United Nations, INTERPOL, and CEPOL. In 2019, she moved to the office of the Prime Minister to serve as Parliamentary Secretary. Following her election to the 14th Saeima in 2022, she was appointed Minister for Welfare in December of that year.
Premiership and Government Resignation
Nominated by the New Unity alliance following the resignation of Krišjānis Kariņš, Siliņa was tasked with forming a government in August 2023. She secured a parliamentary majority on 15 September 2023 through a coalition involving the Union of Greens and Farmers and The Progressives. Her cabinet prioritized military funding increases and the completion of border barriers. In 2026, political stability fractured after she dismissed Defence Minister Andris Spruds following a drone-related incident. Consequently, The Progressives withdrew their support, leading to her resignation on 14 May 2026. She continued as a caretaker until Andris Kulbergs assumed the role two weeks later.
Fast facts
- Born: 1975, Riga
- Prime Minister of Latvia: 2023-2026
- Minister for Welfare: 2022-2023
- Education: University of Latvia, Riga Graduate School of Law, EuroFaculty
- Languages: Latvian, Russian, English
- Order of Princess Olga, 1st class: 2024
- Commander First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland: 2025
Questions readers ask
Which political party did Evika Siliņa represent?
She was a member of the Unity party and the New Unity alliance.
Why did Siliņa resign as Prime Minister in 2026?
She resigned after the coalition partner, The Progressives, withdrew support following her dismissal of Defence Minister Andris Spruds.
Achievements
- Minister for Welfare (2022–2023)
- Prime Minister of Latvia (2023–2026)
- Order of Princess Olga, 1st class — 2024
- Commander First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland — 2025
- Educated at University of Latvia and Riga Graduate School of Law
